5 dead, 44 injured after non-English speaking bus driver causes massive Virginia highway pile-up

Five people were killed, and another 44 were injured, on Friday after a non-English speaking bus driver crashed into stopped traffic on Interstate 95 in Virginia, resulting in a multi-vehicle pileup.

The driver, identified as Jing S. Dong, is a Chinese native who later obtained US citizenship. Dong allegedly crashed the bus after driving it from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina. The traffic had slowed near a highway work zone when the crash occurred, involving at least six vehicles.

According to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, those killed included a teenage girl and a seven-year-old boy. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Derek Barnes and investigators were present at the scene. Duffy also revealed that the driver had obtained his CDL in New York in 2024 despite not speaking English.

“Local police confirm the driver of this motorcoach — a man from China who became a U.S. citizen — doesn’t speak English. He received his commercial drivers license from New York State in 2024,” Duffy said. “Unacceptable. This is exactly why we are holding states’ accountable, enforcing the rules of the road, and cracking down on drivers who can’t speak English.”

“If you can’t be properly trained, read our road signs, or communicate with law enforcement, you have no business driving a bus,” Duffy continued. “Our investigators are reviewing New York licensing records, training documentation, and the driver's history. Any company, trainer, or school that contributed to putting an unqualified driver on the road will face intense scrutiny.”

The crash comes amid national attention on commercial driver licensing standards and the qualifications of some non-native CDL holders. Earlier this month, an illegal immigrant truck driver from India was arrested after causing a deadly crash in California then fled the scene.

In March, the Trump administration announced new rules to keep non-citizens from obtaining CDLs, including asylum seekers, refugees, and recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The changes affected roughly 200,000 immigrant truck drivers and aimed at addressing safety concerns.

“For far too long, America has allowed dangerous foreign drivers to abuse our truck licensing systems, wreaking havoc on our roadways,” Duffy said at the time.